The Population Census Organisation (PCO) has directed all the DCOs to properly maintain accounts of the expenditures and observe all necessary formalities according to the financial rules and regulations while utilising the census funds during the 6th Population and Housing census to be held in October 2008.
According to official documents of the PCO titled 'Field Operation Plan' accounts of census funds were not properly maintained by the DCOs and codal formalities were not observed while making expenditure of the census funds and each audit report of the districts were subjected to audit paras, it added.
During the 1998 population and housing census, a huge amount for the payment of honoraria to the field staff and transportation charges were placed at the disposal of provincial governments including AJK/NA, Islamabad and Fata.
Meanwhile, these funds were further distributed among Census District Officers. After the completion of census operation, audit of census funds was carried out in each district by the respective offices of DG (Audit) in each province, it added.
The left over funds were converted into Advance Draft Papers (ADPs), it said, adding even the unspent amount could not be sent back to the Population Census Organisation Islamabad by the respective districts.
Keeping in view the past experience, the PCO has recommended 15 measures to the DCOs for the coming census to ensure judicious utilisation of the funds. It also included opening of Personal Ledger Account (PLA) for the census funds.
The action plan recommended to maintain an account register for the authenticity of census expenditure and its final submission to the audit while a separate Cash Book of census funds, disbursement registers of hired vehicles and POL etc will be maintained for audit purpose.
The Plan further suggested that after the census operations were over, unspent amounts would be returned at the earliest to PCO Headquarters Islamabad. Meanwhile, Census District Officers through their District Co-ordination Officers and Deputy Commissioner will hire vehicles, as and where required through open tenders in order to avoid audit objection.
They have been asked to ensure attendance certificate of the field staff and all payments are attested by respective DDOs. Other instructions included work completion certificates, disbursement certificates, payments be made through third party cheques and not in cash.
Photocopies of registration of vehicles and driving license with photocopy of I.D card of driver, Personal Ledger Account (PLA) opened for the funds of population and housing census is maintained up to the end of census operations, it recommended.